Van Buren Man Jailed on 24 Counts of Rape

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Earl Pigg (2012 booking photo)

Van Buren Man Jailed on 24 Counts of Rape

Earl Pigg (2012 booking photo)

Earl D. Pigg, 48, of Van Buren, is being held in the Crawford County Jail on 24 counts of rape of two minors and felony fleeing following a pursuit with police.

Pigg crashed his 2001 Honda Shadow Cruiser in the 500 block of N. 24th around 5 p.m. Monday. Officers were attempting to stop Pigg near 11th and Pointer Trail and arrest him on a rape warrant but he sped away on the motorcycle, according to police.

Pigg was taken to a Fort Smith hospital and treated for minor injuries before being released into the custody of Van Buren Police.

Police and fire trucks shut down a portion of Rude Road because of the crash.

An eyewitness said the suspect hit a tree.

Pigg crashed his motorcycle Monday evening during a police chase

“I was inside the house and I heard the thud,” said Joyce Burrows, a neighbor. “I looked out and I saw all of the police cars, the fire trucks.”

A tow truck driver took the bike.

“The whole front was trashed,” said Andy Granados, an eyewitness. “It looked like it couldn’t even start anymore, like everything was all wrecked.”

Pigg was arrested in January on one count of rape and was out on bond at the time of the motorcycle crash. That bond has since been revoked as a result of the new charges, according to Lt. Brent Grill with the Van Buren Police Department.

Police have been investigating rape allegations against Pigg since July of 2012, Lt. Grill said.